Italy is falling behind in achieving the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda
3 November 2023
On October 19, 7 years before the 2030 Agenda deadline, the ASviS 2023 Report on Italy’s progress towards the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals was presented. The document offers an alarming picture, underlining Italy’s strong delay in achieving the 2015 UN commitments. According to the report, compared to 2010, only 8 of the 33 assessable Targets are likely to reach the value set for 2030. For 6 the situation has worsened and for 3 it is stable. For 14 it will be very difficult or impossible to achieve, for 9 there are contradictory trends and for 2 the lack of data prevents a judgement.
"It's time to turn promises into action, but time is very limited" - Pierluigi Stefanini, President of the Alliance
Progress in our country is “definitely insufficient“, as shown by the data from the composite indicators developed by the Alliance. 6 of the 17 SDGs in our country have worsened compared to 2010: we are talking about poverty (Goal 1), water and socio-health systems (Goal 6), quality of terrestrial and marine ecosystems (Goals 14 and 15), governance (Goal 16) and partnerships (Goal 17). 3 show substantial stability: food (Goal 2), inequality (Goal 10) and sustainable cities (Goal 11). 6 show very limited improvements: education (Goal 4), gender equality (Goal 5), renewable energy (Goal 7), decent work (Goal 8), innovation and infrastructure (Goal 9), and combating climate change (Goal 13). Finally, 2 Goals (health, Goal 3, and circular economy, Goal 12) show more encouraging signs. For 9 Goals out of the 14 for which data are available, inequalities between regions are increasing in total contradiction with the key principle of the 2030 Agenda of “leaving no one behind”.
"This year's Report clearly shows that our country, unlike the European Union, has not taken the path of sustainable development in a convinced and concrete manner" - Enrico Giovannini, Scientific Director of ASviS
Unfortunately, Italy is not the only one lagging behind in achieving these goals. According to the UN, only 12% of countries are on track to meet the Goals, while most are “moderately or severely off track”, and about 30% have made no progress or are worse off than in 2015.
Priorities for accelerating sustainable development in Italy
The implementation of the proposals put forward by ASviS is divided into 13 priority lines of action that are crucial to enable Italy to make a leap forward towards the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
- Tackling poverty and promoting integration
- Innovating in agriculture and improving corporate social responsibility
- Optimising health services and combating hardship and family violence
- Improving education and promoting inclusion
- Increase female employment and prevent discrimination
- Protect nature and manage ecosystems sustainably
- Increase renewable energy production and improve the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan
- Improve working conditions and reduce fragility in the labour market
- Invest in sustainable infrastructure, research and innovation
- Improve land governance and promote environmental sustainability
- Promote environmental and social sustainability in public administration
- Involve consumers and improve the justice system
- Promote peace and involve civil society in decision-making
For each of these lines of action, concrete proposals will be put forward, capable, if implemented, of decisively advancing our country in the implementation of Agenda 2030, reducing territorial inequalities and making up for lost ground and the delays accumulated in recent years.
"The accumulated delays could be partly recovered, but a series of interventions and reforms must be implemented urgently and incisively" - Marcella Mallen, President of the Alliance
